Los Gatos Commercial Design Guidelines FINAL ... - City of Winters

Town of Los Gatos
ORDINANCE 1920
ORDINANCE OF THE TOWN OF LOS GATOS
AMENDING ORDINANCE NO. 1844 RELATING TO THE
MODIFICATION OF THE DEVELOPMENT STANDARDS
WHICH EFFECTED
ZONE CHANGE NO. 88 (UNIVERSITY/EDELEN HISTORIC
DISTRICT)
The Town Council of the Town of Los Gatos does
hereby ordain:
SECTION I
The district delineated on the attached map is hereby
designated historically and culturally significant as the
University/Edelen Historic District HD-86-1B.
SECTION II
The district is designated to be historically, architecturally,
or aesthetically significant for the reasons listed
below:
A. Property:
University/Edelen District Boundaries:
North - Saratoga Avenue
South - Main Street
East - Los Gatos Creek
West - Old Southern Pacific Railroad
(see map - Exhibit A)
B. Historic Designation HD-86-1B
C. Description of Designation: District
D. Description of Characteristics which justify designation:
Historical:
The University/Edelen area was originally part of
the Mason Tract. In September 1880, the area was
subdivided into five parcels ranging from 6.75 acres
to 10 acres. These parcels were further subdivided
and became the Miles/Edelen Subdivision (The
Vineyard Lots), the Hagerty Subdivision, the Quick
Commercial Design Guidelines
APPENDIX B
University/Edelen Historic District
Subdivision, the Bentley/Pierce Subdivision and the
Engrish Subdivision which created the lots forming
the University/Edelen Area. These subdivisions predated
the turn of the century.
Architecture:
Victorian is predominant architecture, including informal
wood frame cottages and impressive homes,
intermixed with Craftsman/Bungalow style cottages
built somewhat later. Also present in smaller numbers
are Colonial Revival. Contributing structures are
both residential and commercial. Individual architectural
distinction is not as important in a historic
district as the neighborhood entity created. The University/Edelen
district has easily identifiable boundaries
which add to its perception as a distinct neighborhood.
SIGNIFICANT RESIDENTIAL STRUCTURES:
Harry Perrin Home - 315 University Avenue: This
house is estimated to have been built in 1895. The original
owners were Harry and Theresa Perrin. Mr. Perrin
was a brick mason and contractor and built the house
with his own hands for his bride. They sold the house in
1906. Mr. Perrin later constructed the revetments for the
Presidio of San Francisco. The house has been called
“Honeymoon House.” The home is an excellent example
of romanesque style architecture.
In 1972 a major remodeling job was redone under
the direction of Boris and Nancy Baranowski. The interior
was redone and made into law offices. In 1989 the
structure was significantly damaged by the earthquake
and in 1990 the building under went major repair and
the seismic retrofit was completed in 1991 by VSL Corporation.
Miles House (Los Gatos Museum Restoration
Award, 1971), 130 Edelen: This Queen Anne, two-story
Victorian was built by contractor-land developer O. E.
Miles in 1886. The house was converted to a duplex in
1932 and was then reverted to a single-family house in
1963. The home was used as a movie set for the 1970
Orson Wells movie “The Toy Factory.”
Skinkle House, 129 Edelen: This Queen Anne, twostory
Victorian was built by pharmacist A. Skinkle, Jr., in
1890. He was co-owner of Watkins Skinkle Drug Store
on Main Street and Santa Cruz Avenue. Skinkle was
president, in 1895, of the Borad of Trade (forerunner
to the Chamber of Commerce).
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